NJPW ‘World Tag League 2018’ (12.2.18) Match Predictions

NJPW ‘World Tag League 2018’ (12.2.18) Match Predictions

Seeing as the World Tag League is the least engaging time of the year to be a fan of New Japan, each night before the tournament I’ll be making match predictions. On the bottom of every ‘Results & Review’ article I’ll have a tally of my score so that you can keep up and gauge my accuracy. This is my way of trying to keep everyone engaged during the slow months leading up to Wrestle Kingdom. Feel free to give me a hard time on Twitter.

This will be a live show, Japanese commentary and the full camera treatment. All fourteen teams have a tournament match and the dream team of Tanahashi and Okada tag again.

World Tag League Tournament Match
EVIL & SANADA (6-2) vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi (1-7)
Poor Nagata and Nakanishi. Their win on opening day convinced me that we’d see somewhat of a run from them, at least more than one win. They couldn’t even beat the fractured Best Friends. What a shame.Prediction: EVIL & SANADA

World Tag League Tournament Match
Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi (3-5) vs Juice Robinson & David Finlay (5-3)
The top of the pack has separated itself from Page and Yujiro by several matches. No one expected them to win the tournament but I think a lowkey team like FinJuice are the perfect type for them to get another win.Prediction: Page & Yujiro

World Tag League Tournament Match
Togi Makabe & Toa Henare (3-5) vs Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka (4-4)
Makabe and Henare went undefeated at the Korakuen double shot, be it by disqualification once. We’ll get one of those Suzuki/Makabe brawls, leaving it up to Henare to overcome Iizuka’s shenanigans. This could be another signature win in Henares slow climb up the ladder.Prediction: Makabe & Henare

World Tag League Tournament Match
Jeff Cobb & Michael Elgin (4-4) vs Beretta & Chuckie T. (5-3)
Team Bowser had been surging until they met head on with a brick wall, known as Ishii. Now they’re facing a team more fractured and easier to get by. Something is going on within Best Friends so it’s the perfect time for Cobb and Elgin to get back on track.Prediction: Cobb & Elgin

World Tag League Tournament Match
Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano (6-2) vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (3-5)
Ishii and Yano have been one of the tournament’s bigger surprises. They’re sitting tied at the top of the block and now face a team that most would argue are past their prime. You just never know with Yano. He gets those wins out of nowhere.Prediction: Ishii & Yano

World Tag League Tournament Match
Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi (5-3) vs Guerrillas of Destiny (6-2)
Dangerous Tekkers, a lot like Ishii and Yano, have been a surprise throughout the tournament. This team that was put together just for this tour has been beating team who have been together for years. There’s a serious sense that they may become a staple of the division. I think they solidify that feeling by beating the tag champs.Prediction: Sabre & Taichi

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, KUSHIDA & Rocky Romero vs Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
The dream team have dropped two in a row but I’m going to keep picking them. The law of averages says that the win is coming. Send the crowd home happy with a Tanahashi/Okada celebration.Prediction: Tanahashi, Okada, KUSHIDA & Romero

Robert McCauley hasn't missed an NJPW show since the launch of NJPW World. Always be on the look out for his reviews where he shares results and gives his honest opinions on the goings-on of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.